Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-11-21

way down from the hill slopes to
more level grounds below, much to
the injury of the grass crop, and to
the ruin of not a little of the enclOs-
ed NOW fields. The soil is nat
urallv good, and the situation favor
able for the growing of heavy crops.
When Gen. Circuit took the place
it was considerably in a run down
state, though not run out. The barns
were old. the fences were not ade-
quate, many acres were growing up
to bushes. the water was doing nju-
nv to the land, and there was much
! the same condition of affairs that eX-
lists in MANY localities, where the old
system of farming has been adhered
to from choice or necessity. Among
| the first things undertaken by the
purchaser was the disposal of the
surplus water. A system of ditching
and under draining was projected
and work laid out on a comprehen-
sive scale. Many of the surface
stone, though the land was not very
stony, lay upon the ground, or had
been piled into numerous stone walls
that had been run as fences over the
farm. The larger ravines and the
wetter places were attacked first.
Deep bitches were dug and the stone
were buried, and large water mains
run, into which smaller tile and stone
drains poured their contents. 1t is
surprising what quantities of water,
absolutely so much that it can be
heard pouring through the stone ways
like brooks in different lOcalitiee, is
drawn away from places where little
or no surplus water was seen. The
undulating and sloping condition of
adapted to stone OF tile draining. The
work has gone on until it is nearly
finish it-and until nearly every rod
is dry, tillable and productive the
stones buried out of sight, the rough
places smoothed down, the wet
places reclaimed and the whole area,
nearly, put in a condition for tillage,
and in a remarkably productive state.
The expense of the stone draining
has been heavy, much heavier accord
iuglv than the tile draining, in the
cost of ditching and stone drawing.
The next most expensive improve
ment was the erection of a set of
barns, sheds, ETC., which should be
suitable and adequate for the re-
quirements of the farm, as it was eX-
pected to be under proper develop
ment. This work was done in 1877.
The old barns, such as could be prof
itably utilized were repaired, moved
to proper position, with reference
to the large structure, sheds were
built between, and the whole put into
system of barns, stables, etc. The
larger barn built new was 120x5O,
with 30 feet addition, which was
narrower and contained the driveway
to the high hay floor. a wing was
turned along the road for a horse
barn, carriage house, etc. The whole
was planned with reference to two
principles convenience and the saw
ing of the fodder and the manure.
The big barn is three stories high.
The basement contains a manure
vault in one side and one end, long
stable beside the manure room, and
space used for silo purposes. Be
meath the lower stable in which
steers, oxen, bulls, ETC., are housed,
the ground is cemented, and the liq
uid manure runs into a cistern from
which it is pumped on to the manure
which falls from the upper stables.
| The whole surface upon which the
manure falls from any stable is ce-
mented. Near the middle of the
barnyard is an underground cistern
into which all the water of the yard
runs, to find its way by drain pipes
to the lowlands beyond. This liquid
manures quite a large area, and
spOuts will be hereafter used to run
it over a larger space. The manure
from the horse barns falls into
basement where a large drove of pigs
the quantity made and SO strong is it
in enriching qualities that there is an
abundance of manure for all the pur-
poses to which it now can well be
applied. The estimated quantity
drawn to the fields last year was
1000 loads, and there are hundreds
of loads now that must be got out to
make room for what will accumulate
through the winter. The second sto-
~ is used for the COW stables, where
there is room to tie 30 cows. In the
rear of the animals is room and con-
veniences for putting in bedding. In
front there are places where the hay
falls from above, or is pitched from
the bay, which comes down on one
side to the floor. There are also
some bins and meal rooms on this
floor. All stables have ventilators
running up into the cupola and the
whole building is thoroughly ventilat-
ed by windows and ventilators. The
ties are chains, with separate cribs
for each animal. 1t is proposed to
change the ties soon to the swing